k i w i

- 59 -

- zayn -

"Who is going to be the godfather?" Louis asked, he cut the rising argument between his friends. Setting his beer down, he took a chip and popped it in his mouth, a grin on his lips as he watched all their friends turn to me. "I'd be flatter, if I'm chosen."

"If you were flattered, you wouldn't have been wearing all red, mate." Liam pointed his outfit out, which made Louis' grin disappear. Turning back to me, "Have you even thought of the godparents?"

"I would love to be the godfather." Niall butted in, smirking as he chugged the rest of his beer. "Gave little Bear a pair of those sneakers Liam likes. Right, Payno?"

Liam nodded, Harry cleared his throat and gained their attention. "I think we shouldn't push this on him. He can barely process that he's having a child, let alone decide who to be her godfather!"

The boys laughed, it made me feel a little weird since it was true. I hadn't fully processed that I was having a baby. I also hadn't fully processed that we might be holding my baby in a few months.

Looking around the yard, I noticed Arabella talking with her sister. Her blonde hair was down in curls and she wore a dress-even with the cold wind blowing every now and then.

Her belly poking out, it made me warm every time I saw her. Maybe I was in love, with her and with the idea of her having my child.

"Aren't you afraid?" Louis asked, setting his drink down to look at me. The other boys were too busy arguing at who the best uncle was to even notice Louis whispering questions to me. "When I heard that I was going to be a dad, I drank myself to sleep everyday. It was a fucking nightmare." He scoffed, shaking his head. "I wanted things to work out with Ellie, but that was just the thing that pushed her off. She hated me."

"She didn't hate you." I shake my head, remembering when I would overhear my sisters gossiping about this scandal. "If she did, she wouldn't be with you now." Putting a hand on his shoulder, I shake him out of whatever place in his mind he was going. "What changed? What made you want to be part of Freddy's life?"

"When I first held him." He smiled, taking his drink and gulping it. "It felt...it felt wonderful. You'll understand when your baby is here. Good luck with it too, mate. Those girls become unbearable during their last days."

Raising an eyebrow to ask what he meant, I was cut short when Waliyha stood in front of me, a huge grin on her face. "Its time, Zayn."

Nodding, I waved goodbye to my mates and began walking behind her. She guided us to Regina and Arabella, my heart beginning to race even faster.

"Come with me." Waliyha said to Arabella as we neared her, guiding us to the DJ stage with Arabella's friends on it. "Its time, girls. Here are the mics." She shoved the mics into our hands, "Tell everyone to gather around the back, Doniya and Hailey are ready."

Arabella looked like she was about to pass out. She turned to me and nudged me, in which I shook my head and nudged her back. She groaned, turning to the people. "Hello, everyone. Um, thank you for coming all the way here for our reveal-we are very grateful to have you here on this special day."

"But we would like to give a special shout out to Doniya and Hailey for helping organize everything." I continued, "Thank you guys so much! Now if you could please join us to the back, we will be revealing the gender!"

Everyone gave us a small applaud, the music coming back on. Arabella grabbed the mics and turned to her friends, beginning to talk to them as I concentrated on calming myself down.

Her laugh echoed into my ears, that was when I turned back to look at her. Taking a hold of her hand, I brought it up to my lips and gave her soft skin a kiss.

"Ready?" I asked, beginning to walk to the crowd. The people talking loudly and smiling and even jumping. I stopped us near them, letting a hand rest on her bump. "You look beautiful."

She smiled back at me, her eyes light and fill with excitement. Giving my cheek a kiss, she now guided us through the crowd.

This is it.

Doniya handed us the sticks and gave me a lighter.

I'm one step closer to becoming a father.

She gave us a nod, I turned to Arabella and stuck all the wild thoughts to the back. "Ready, doll?" I ask as I turned on the lighter, smiling at how adorable she looked. "Ready?"

She nodded back, "Ready."

Lightning up the sticks together and putting them in front of us, I squeezed her hand as the spark showed.

Looking over at her, I admire how perfect she looked. How her hair turned golden under the sun. How her smile was the biggest and the brightest. How she was carrying my child.

In this moment, I had realized that I wouldn't have it any other way. She was perfect to me and for me.

The white gas from our sticks and her friend and brother's sticks began to combine around us, it started to pick up its color.

Everyone around us began to cheer as the white turned to its rightful color. My face beginning to hurt as I began to smile, this moment being the best ones of my life.

Arabella jogged to me, jumping into my arms and laughing as I began to twirl her. "Oh my, God, Zayn!"

Putting her down, I admired her one more time. Mentally capturing every movement of hers, loving how happy and pure she looked right now. Putting the stick off to a side, I let my free hand rest on her cheek, bringing her closer to me and letting this moment take over. "I love you, Arabella."

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